Selectively contourable putting green

ABSTRACT

As described herein, a golf putting green simulator includes an enclosed support member having a defined configuration over which synthetic grass is extended to provide a putting surface. A hollow putting cup is mounted in the support member adjacent one end thereof and communicates with a receptacle formed in the support member at the other end thereof through an inclined conduit. Randomly spaced between the synthetic grass and the upper surface of the support member are a plurality of irregularly shaped air sacks, each sack containing an air inlet port and an air outlet port. A console containing an air compressor and a plurality of supply and exhaust valves coupled to the inlet and outlet ports of the air sacks is further provided to enable the golfer to selectively expand and deplete the air sacks to thereby modify the contour of the synthetic grass putting surface.

United States Patent O cchipinti [54] SELECTIVELY CONTOURABLE PUTTINGGREEN [72] Inventor: Peter W. Occhipinti, 672 Downing St., Teaneck, NJ.07666 [22] Filed: Aug. 11, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 170,700

[52] US. Cl. ..273/l76 H, 273/179 B, 273/179 A [51] Int. Cl. ..A63b69/36 [58] Field of Search ..273/l76, 195, 87

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,366,388 1/1968 Del Raso..273/176 H 3,534,961 10/1970 Tiley ..273/l76 H X 3,595,581 7/1971Anderson ..273/l76 H Primary Examiner-George J. Marlo Attorney-GranvilleM. Brumbaugh et al.

[451 Sept. 12, 1972 [57] ABSTRACT As described herein, a golf puttinggreen simulator includes an enclosed support member having a definedconfiguration over which synthetic grass is extended to provide atputting surface. A hollow putting cup is mounted in the support memberadjacent one end thereof and communicates with a receptacle formed inthe support member at the other end thereof through an inclined conduit.Randomly spaced between the synthetic grass and the upper surface of thesupport member are a plurality of irregularly shaped air sacks, eachsack containing an air inlet port and an air outlet port. A consolecontaining an air compressor and a plurality of supply and exhaustvalves coupled to the inlet and outlet ports of the air sacks is furtherprovided to enable the golfer to selectively expand and deplete the airsacks to thereby modify the contour of the synthetic grass puttingsurface.

10 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures SELECTIVELY CONTOURABLE PUTTING GREENBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to golfing aids and,more particularly, to a golf putting green simulator having a puttingsurface with a variable contour.

One of the fastest growing and popular sports in the world today,especially in the United States, is golf. The average golfer takes thegame of golf extremely seriously and is forever attempting to improvehis overall game, especially his driving and putting which are the twomost important aspects on one s golf game.

The opportunities for most golfers to practice their game on a golfcourse are limited, however, and this has led to the proliferation ofgolf driving ranges which provide a place where golfers can improve ontheir long or driving game. Generally, there are no facilities outside agolf course for enabling one to improve on his putting or short game inan environment corresponding to the greens on a golf course. Practiceputting into a cup on a carpet is inadequate because of the carpets lackof depth and its uniformity and practice putting in a yard or park ismost often equivalent to practice putting in the rough of a golf course.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a golf putting aid, a golf puttinggreen simulator having a putting surface with a variable contour thatwill correspond to the different contoured putting greens found in thesame golf course and different golf courses. At the same time, there isa need for such a putting green simulator that will be reasonably pricedand within the financial reach of the average golfer.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the presentinvention to provide a golf putting green simulator that satisfies theaforementioned need in the art.

This and other objects are accomplished by the golf putting greensimulator of the present invention which includes an enclosed supportmember having a defined configuration over which synthetic grass isextended to provide a putting surface. A hollow putting cup is mountedin the support member adjacent one end thereof and communicates with agolf ball receptacle in the support member at the other end thereof.Preferably, the communication is provided by an inclined conduit of asize sufficient to enable the passage of golf balls from the putting cupto the receptacle.

Randomly spaced between the synthetic grass and upper surface of thesupport member are a plurality of irregularly shaped inflatable members,each member containing a fluid inlet port and a fluid outlet port. Aconsole containing means for supplying fluid under pressure selectivelyto the inflatable members is further provided. The console also includesmeans for releasing the fluid selectively from the inflatable memberswhereby portions of the synthetic grass can be raised and lowered toprovide a variably contoured synthetic grass putting surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of an illustrative embodimentof a golf putting green simulator arranged according to the presentinvention; and

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the golf putting green simulator shown inFIG. 1 and arranged according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION or THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In a preferred embodiment of agolf putting green simulator arranged according to the presentinvention, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is provided an enclosedgenerally rectangularly shaped support member 10 having a base wall 11,end walls 12a and 12b, side walls 13a and 13b and an upper or supportingsurface 14. The support member 10 may be formed of any suitable materialsuch as, for example, wood or metal, with the only limitation on thechoice of material being that the support member 10 possess sufficientstrength so as to remain rigid and not buckle under the weight ofseveral individuals of ordinary weight.

Fitted over the upper surface 14, the end walls 12a and 12b and sidewalls 13a and 13b of the support member 10 is a synthetic grass surface16. The surface 16 may be of any type synthetic outdoor surface whichprovides a decorative, artificial grass which retains its grass-likesimilarity remarkably well for long periods of continuous use. One typeconventional synthetic type grass surface is disclosed in the recentlyissued US. Pat. No. 3,332,828.

A hollow putting cup 18 is mounted in the support member 10 adjacent theend wall 12a with the lip of the putting cup being substantiallycoextensive with the blade height of the synthetic grass surface 16. Thehollow putting cup 18 communicates with a golf ball receptacle 20 formedin the support member adjacent the other wall 12b by means of aninclined conduit 22 located between the support surface 14 and the basewall 11 and of sufficient size to enable the passage of golf balls fromthe cup 18 to the receptacle 20. The downward inclination of the conduit22 from the putting cup 18 to the discharge opening 20 of the tube neednot be pronounced but merely be sufficient to provide the travel by thegolf ball under the force of gravity. It will be noted that the methodof returning a sunk golf ball to the player is: not critical to thepresent invention. For example, a ball receptacle or catcher could bemounted on the side wall 13a or the side wall 13b to store sunk golfballs. For this variation, an angle could be fitted to the putting cupto carry the balls to the catcher.

Randomly spaced between the synthetic grass surface 16 and the uppersurface 14 of the support member 10 are a plurality of inflatablemembers, here shown as irregularly shaped air sacks 23-30. The air sacks23-30 contain inlet and outlet ports which are connected to a console 32via corresponding air supply hoses 23a-30a and air exhaust hoses23b-30b, respectively. The console 32 contains a conventional aircompressor 34 for supplying air under pressure to each of the air supplyhoses 23a-30a via conventional air adjustment supply valves 36a-43awhich are mounted on the side of the console. The console 32 furtherincludes air adjustment exhaust valves 36b-43b which are connected tothe outlet ports of each of the air sacks 23-30 via the air exhausthoses 23b-30b. As will be understood, when the compressor 34 isoperative, the player may regulate the air supply valves 36a-43a and theair exhaust valves 36b-43b to control the filling of each of the airsacks 23-30 with air under pressure and, hence, the size of the airsacks. In this way, the player can raise and lower the portions of thesynthetic grass surface 16 overlying the air sacks 23-30 to provide avariably contoured synthetic grass putting surface. Energization of theair compressor 34 may be accomplished by coupling the compressor to autility outlet through an electrical power cord.

In the operation of the golf putting green simulator of the presentinvention, the golfer, after energizing the air compressor 34, adjuststhe grass surface 16 to any desired contour through the selectiveoperation of the air supply valves 36a43a and the air exhaust valves36b-43. The golfer will generally putt from an area in and around theend wall 12b. Golf balls which have been holed are returned to thegolfer via the conduit 22 and the receptacle 20. Through the selectiveoperation of the air supply and air exhaust valves 36a-43a and 36b-43,respectively, the number of mutations in the contour of the syntheticgrass putting surface are almost unlimited. In this manner, the golferis provided the facility of practicing his putting on a surface which issimilar to almost any putting green that he will encounter on a golfcourse. Although the invention has been described herein with referenceto a specific embodiment, many modifications and variations therein willreadily be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, to makecertain that golf balls are returned swiftly from the putting cup 18 tothe receptacle terminating the other end of the conduit 22, a solenoidenergized hammer may be utilized to engage the golf balls and impel theballs down the conduit to the receptacle. Accordingly, all suchvariations and modifications are included within the intended scope ofthe invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A golf putting green simulator comprising a support member, asynthetic grass surface fitted on the support member to provide aputting surface, means forming an opening in the support member toprovide a receptacle for putted golf balls, a plurality of irregularlyshaped inflatable means spaced between the synthetic grass surface andthe support member, and means for supplying fluid under pressureselectively to the plurality of inflatable means whereby portions of thesynthetic grass surface can be raised to provide a variably contouredsynthetic grass putting surface.

2. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 1 furthercomprising means for releasing selectively the fluid contained underpressure in the plurality of inflatable means whereby portions of thesynthetic grass surface can be lowered to provide a variably contouredsynthetic grass putting surface.

3. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 2 furthercomprising a putting cup mounted in the opening in the support member toprovide a receptacle for putted golf balls.

4. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 2 furthercomprising a hollow putting cup mounted in the opening in the supportmember, a receptacle for golf balls and means coupling the hollowputting cup with the receptacle.

5. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 4 wherein the couling means comprises a conduit extending downwar y from the hollowputting cup to the receptacle.

6. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 2 wherein each ofthe inflatable means comprises a fluid inlet port and a fluid outletport and wherein the fluid supply means comprises a source ofpressurized fluid and a plurality of fluid flow control means interposedbetween the source of pressurized fluid and the fluid inlet ports of theplurality of inflatable means for selectively controlling the amount ofpressurized fluid supplied to the plurality of inflatable means.

7. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 6 wherein the fluidrelease means comprise a second plurality of fluid flow control meanscoupled to the outlet ports of the plurality of inflatable means forselectively depleting the pressurized fluid contained in the pluralityof inflatable means.

8. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 7 wherein thesource of pressurized fluid comprises an air compressor, wherein thefirst mentioned plurality of fluid flow control means comprise aplurality of air supply adjustment valves, wherein the second pluralityof fluid control means comprise a plurality of air exhaust adjustmentvalves and wherein the plurality of inflatable means comprise aplurality of irregularly shaped air sacks.

9. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 8 furthercomprising a plurality of air hoses for coupling the air supplyadjustment valves to the air inlet ports of the air sacks and secondplurality of air hoses for coupling the air exhaust adjustment valves tothe air outlet ports of the air sacks.

10. A golf putting green simulator comprising a support member, asynthetic grass surface fitted on the support member to provide aputting surface, means forming an opening in the support member toprovide a receptacle for putted golf balls, a plurality of irregularlyshaped displaceable means mounted beneath the synthetic grass surfaceand means for supplying pressure selectively to the plurality ofdisplaceable means to urge the means upwardly against the syntheticgrass surface whereby portions of the synthetic grass surface can beraised to provide a variably contoured synthetic grass putting surface.

1. A golf putting green simulator comprising a support member, asynthetic grass surface fitted on the support member to provide aputting surface, means forming an opening in the support member toprovide a receptacle for putted golf balls, a plurality of irregularlyshaped inflatable means spaced between the synthetic grass surface andthe support member, and means for supplying fluid under pressureselectively to the plurality of inflatable means whereby portions of thesynthetic grass surface can be raised to provide a variably contouredsynthetic grass putting surface.
 2. A golf putting green simulatoraccording to claim 1 further comprising means for releasing selectivelythe fluid contained under pressure in the plurality of inflatable meanswhereby portions of the synthetic grass surface can be lowered toprovide a variably contoured synthetic grass putting surface.
 3. A golfputting green simulator according to claim 2 further comprising aputting cup mounted in the opening in the support member to provide areceptacle for putted golf balls.
 4. A golf putting green simulatoraccording to claim 2 further comprising a hollow putting cup mounted inthe opening in the support member, a receptacle for golf balls and meanscoupling the hollow putting cup with the receptacle.
 5. A golf puttinggreen simulator according to claim 4 wherein the coupling meanscomprises a conduit extending downwardly from the hollow putting cup tothe receptacle.
 6. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 2wherein each of the inflatable means comprises a fluid inlet port and afluid outlet port and wherein the fluid supply means comprises a sourceof pressurized fluid and a plurality of fluid flow control meansinterposed between the source of pressurized fluid and the fluid inletports of the plurality of inflatable means for selectively controllingthe amount of pressurized fluid supplied to the plurality of inflatablemeans.
 7. A golf putting green simulator according to claim 6 whereinthe fluid release means comprise a second plurality of fluid flowcontrol means coupled to the outlet ports of the plurality of inflatablemeans for selectively depleting the pressurized fluid contained in theplurality of inflatable means.
 8. A golf putting green simulatoraccording to claim 7 wherein the source of pressurized fluid comprisesan air compressor, wherein the first mentioned plurality of fluid flowcontrol means comprise a plurality of air supply adjustment valves,wherein the second plurality of fluid control means comprise a pluralityof air exhaust adjustment valves and wherein the plurality of inflatablemeans comprise a plurality of irregularly shaped air sacks.
 9. A golfputting green simulator according to claim 8 further comprising aplurality of air hoses for coupling the air supply adjustment valves tothe air inlet ports of the air sacks and second plurality of air hosesfor coupling the air exhaust adjustment valves to the air outlet portsof the air sacks.
 10. A golf putting green simulator comprising asupport member, a synthetic grass surface fitted on the support memberto provide a putting surface, means forming an opening in the supportmember to provide a receptacle for putted golf balls, a plurality ofirregularly shaped displaceable means mounted beneath the syntheticgrass surface and means for supplying pressure selectively to theplurality of displaceable means to urge the means upwardly against thesynthetic grass surface whereby portions of the synthetic grass surfacecan be raised to provide a variably contoured synthetic grass puttingsurface.